


I would have shamelessly broken the oath for you

by Shadowcrawler



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Beauty and the Beast Elements, F/F, Femslash, Gen, Inspired by Once Upon a Time (TV), Murder, True Love, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 07:35:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5488958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadowcrawler/pseuds/Shadowcrawler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sure, Daisy's a werewolf. Some people think it's weird - not Jemma, but who cares what the other townsfolk think? But the murder Daisy's being framed for...that's a little harder to brush off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I would have shamelessly broken the oath for you

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dreamsheartstory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamsheartstory/gifts).



> Written for the Skimmons Stans Network Secret Santa exchange.
> 
> This...is not a holiday-related fic at all hahaha WELP. It is sort of a vague Once Upon a Time/Beauty and the Beast mashup, where Daisy is kind of Red Riding Hood and Jemma is kind of Belle and Ward is kind of Gaston, except not entirely. And it was supposed to be a lot shorter, but the plot showed up and it kind of got away from me. I hope you like it anyway, M?
> 
> T for swearing and violence, which I don't think is that graphic, although feel free to comment if you think I should include a more explicit warning.

“Your girl’s here,” May mutters as Jemma practically skips into the diner.

“ _May!_ She’s not…” Daisy bites her lip as Jemma comes up to the counter. “Hey, Jemma, how are you today?”

“I’m wonderful, thank you. I’ve just gotten a new book on molecular physics!” Jemma’s eyes are gleaming. “And I’ve been dreaming about May’s pie all morning.”

May snorts, but one corner of her mouth turns up. “Flattering. What kind?”

“Oh, anything you have. I like it all. And some tea while I wait?” May disappears into the back and Jemma turns to Daisy, smiling wide. “And maybe you’d have a moment to – to talk, Daisy? If you’re not too busy, I mean, I don’t want to distract you while you’re working.”

“Please, you’re the only one who’s been in here in like forty minutes.” Daisy fills a kettle with hot water, starts it boiling, and grabs a teacup and teabag before herding Jemma over to a table where they both sit. “What’s up?”

“Well, I…” Suddenly Jemma seems shy, glancing down at the floor and fiddling with the string on the teabag. “I was wondering if, uh, tonight. You’d be busy?”

“Why? I mean, tonight’s a full moon, y’know, I got…wolf stuff to do.” She wouldn’t be so blatant about it with most people, but Jemma knows what she is and she’s never cared, not since Daisy told her two months ago. Some people might find it weird that their friend shapeshifts into a giant wolf every full moon and needed to go run around in the woods hunting small animals, but not Jemma. Jemma never judges her for anything, she’s…well. She’s Jemma.

“Oh! Of course, how silly of me, I didn’t…I didn’t even think…” Jemma flushes. “Never mind then, it was silly anyhow.”

May interrupts to deliver the requested piece of pie – blackberry – before disappearing into the kitchen again. Daisy rolls her eyes fondly – her boss/guardian’s not a people person, but that’s what Daisy’s here for, to take orders and charm people into getting bigger checks. Not a bad gig, really.

“What’s up?” Daisy asks again as Jemma takes a bite. “I mean, the wolf stuff’s only a couple nights, so I should be free on Saturday.”

Jemma coughs quietly. “I just…” She’s interrupted by the cheerful whistling of the kettle. “Oh, the water’s hot!”

“You’re not getting out of it that easily,” teases Daisy as she goes over to retrieve the teapot and brings it back to pour into the cup. “Whatever it is, it can’t be that scary.”

“It’s not _scary_ , it’s just—”

But before Jemma can continue, the diner door opens and a tall dark-haired man strolls in as if he owns the place. “Hey, sweetheart,” he says, coming over to their table, “can I get a steak?”

“It’s three in the afternoon,” replies Daisy, scowling. “We don’t do steaks till five, which you would know if you bothered to read the menu, Ward.”

“Whatever. Burger and fries, then? A guy needs to keep himself well-fed.” Daisy grimaces but gets up to relay the order to May. Then Ward slides into where she’s been sitting. Jemma, who knows what’s coming next and has attempted to focus exclusively on her slice of pie (to no avail), sighs as he adds, “Little Miss Jemma Simmons, all by herself? What a tragedy.”

“Hardly,” sighs Jemma. “Daisy and I were having a lovely conversation before you showed up.”

Ward snorts. “Well, you know what people say about her. She’s a freak. She doesn’t even try to hide it, running around the woods as that – that _thing_. If that keeps up, someone’s gonna get hurt one of these days. I’d keep my distance if I were you.”

“And what do _you_ know about it? Just rumors, that’s all.” Jemma huffs. “She’s my friend and I’ll talk to whomever I please, thank you. And right now, I’d prefer not to be talking to you.”

“Fine. I know when I’m unwelcome.” Ward makes to slide out of the booth and then adds, “I just worry about you. A nice girl like yourself needs someone to take care of her. Someone to protect her from danger. You’d do well to learn that, Jemma.”

“I protect myself just fine, thanks,” hisses Jemma.

“Your food’s cooking, Ward,” says Daisy, walking up to the table. “Won’t be ten minutes. And I’d like my spot back, thanks.”

Rolling his eyes, Ward gets up and goes a few tables away. Daisy sighs. “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to be so long, but May wanted…”

“Oh, you needn’t apologize! He’s an idiot. The things he said about you! I wanted to slap him, but I didn’t want to cause a scene.”

“Talking about me, huh? Classy. What’d he say?”

“He called you terrible names. Said someone will get hurt if you keep transforming. I don't believe that,” says Jemma quickly. “You’d never hurt anyone! And he said I should keep my distance because someone like me needs protecting.” She scoffs. “As if there’s any danger around here.”

Daisy laughs. “Yeah, I mean, Mayor Price might be a control freak but she’s not _dangerous_. Garrett’s kind of weird, with his potions and all, but he hasn’t bothered May or me. Ward’s the only person I’d even remotely call dangerous in this town, and he’s just a pain in the ass.”

Jemma nods and replies, “He’s just envious, I think, because I…because you…” She trails off again.

“Oh, hey, what were you gonna ask me before that dickhead showed up?” Daisy grins. “I’m just gonna keep asking until you cave, y’know.”

“Well, I was wondering if you…if you might like to go out to dinner,” says Jemma, all in a rush. “Because I quite like spending time with you, and I think you do too, and I think it might be nice to have an evening just to ourselves to, to talk and get to know each other better, although we already know each other fairly well, I suppose, maybe I’m just—”

“Jemma,” Daisy laughs, “slow down for a second. Yes, I’ll go to dinner with you tomorrow night, okay?”

Jemma’s entire face lights up. “You will? And just, just to make sure we understand each other, this is, ah, this is a, a date that I’m asking you out on, you’re all right with that?”

“Totally.” Daisy reaches to squeeze the hand that’s not holding a fork. “I think a date sounds really nice. Meet you here at six on Saturday?”

“Six on Saturday! All right.” Jemma’s smile is probably bright enough to power the entire world. “That sounds wonderful. Er, thank you, I…”

“Pie’s on the house,” says Daisy, grabbing the empty plate and teacup and standing up with a wink.

\---

Daisy wakes up as she does most mornings after a change: curled up on a blanket inside the shelter May had built for her when they moved to this town, completely naked, with dried blood on both corners of her mouth. “Gross,” she mutters, doing her best to wipe it off on the blanket, then when that barely works, sighing and reaching for the spare robe she keeps for these mornings. “Guess it would be too much to ask wolf-me to dunk my face in a puddle before I pass out.”

She slips into the house, where May is already tidying up the kitchen. “Good hunt?” May asks, taciturn as always.

“Well, judging by the blood all over my face, I’d say so.” Daisy chuckles, going to the sink to wash off the rest of it. “I can’t imagine you miss waking up like that too much, huh?”

“I miss some of it. Running. The energy. The air rushing through my fur. Not the mornings after.”

“Yeah, this is totally my favorite part,” snarks Daisy. “Will you care if I go sleep for a couple more hours? We can just open late, no one will care on a Thursday morning.”

May raises an eyebrow.

“Please? I just need a couple hours in my own bed, not on that stupid blanket.”

“Fine. We’ll open at ten thirty. Be there on time.” May turns back to wiping the counter.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Daisy heads for her bedroom, practically melting into her bed the instant her head hits the pillow. She doesn’t even bother to crawl underneath the soft red blanket on her bed. She’s not always this exhausted after wolfstime, but for whatever reason she’s wiped this morning. But even two hours of sleep should help with that.

Sure enough, when she wakes up she feels a lot more alert. She dresses quickly and heads down the street to the diner, smugly noticing that she’s a whole ten minutes early. May can’t possibly be mad at her about that!

Unfortunately, her good mood is kind of ruined when she sees the crowd in front of the diner. The crowd that seems to be led by Ward.

May’s standing there too, facing the crowd, her arms crossed and her expression carefully blank, with only one eyebrow raised (which means she’s actually really pissed and they should all think about running). “Daisy,” she says as Daisy walks up. “There’s been an…incident.”

“Murderer!” shouts someone in the back of the crowd, which seems to set off a series of threatening rumbles from everyone in it.

“Say what now?” Daisy blinks.

“Sheriff, tell them what you found.” Ward nods to Sheriff Bobbi Morse, who’s standing next to him with an apprehensive look.

“Well,” she says slowly, “this morning I got a call from Mayor Price. There was…there had been some sort of altercation, and one of her employees was…well. Most of him was scattered across his front lawn.”

“You _ate_ Phil, you bitch!” comes the voice of Mayor Price, who’s shoving her way to the front of the group. “ _Ate_ him! You told me you had it completely under control and you wouldn’t come anywhere near the town. You filthy fucking—”

“Rosalind, please, let me do the talking,” says Bobbi sternly. “It certainly did look as if Mr. Coulson had been…mauled by some sort of animal. But the teeth marks were larger than anything a regular-sized dog could make, and he does live on the edge of town, not far from the woods where you spend wolfstime, right, Ms. Johnson?”

“Y-yeah, I guess so.” Daisy’s head is spinning. As far as she knows, Phil Coulson _did_ live as near to the woods as you could get, but that doesn’t mean… “I’ve only ever talked to him like, three times! Why the hell would I kill and eat him?”

“You’ve said so yourself, your memories from being a wolf are fuzzy at best?” Bobbi asks.

“Yeah, a lot of them are, but I think I would remember if I suddenly decided to _eat a person._ ” Daisy whips her head around to look at May. “May, please tell them they’re being ridiculous, I would never—”

“She wouldn’t,” agrees May. “She’s kept to the agreement, Mayor Price. Sticks to the woods, never goes near the town. I would have smelled the human blood on her.”

Bobbi frowns. “And your wolf days are long past, right? No chance of it being you?”

May snorts. “Please. I haven’t changed in a decade.”

“So it had to be Daisy,” Ward says. “There’s no other explanation.”

Bobbi glares at him. “There will be no condemnation without a proper trial, thank you, Mr. Ward. I will handle this investigation. Daisy,” she adds, sounding almost apologetic, “I think I’d better take you down to the station while we sort this out.”

“Oh my god, I didn’t kill him! I don’t know why you would even think…” Daisy catches May’s eye, sees her shake her head ever so slightly, and shuts her mouth. Then she responds, much more docilely, “Okay, Sheriff.”

\---

Daisy’s been pacing in this cell for what seems like hours (it’s probably more like one hour, but the wolf in her feels small spaces more keenly during full moons) before Bobbi comes to lean against the bars. “Look,” she says gently, which is never a good sign. “Do I believe you’re innocent? I really want to, Daisy. You’ve got a mouth on you, but I don’t think you’re a killer, not even when you’re…not even then. But you gotta admit this doesn’t look good.”

“No shit,” says Daisy, glaring. “You think I haven’t been over last night in my head again and again? It’s fuzzy, but I know I didn’t go anywhere near town last night, or see anybody. It was just me and the owl I caught.”

“Owl?” Bobbi raises an eyebrow.

“Yeah, well.” Daisy can’t help but preen a little. “I caught him off guard. Doesn’t happen every time. Definitely owl, though. Leaves a weird feather aftertaste.”

“I’m going to choose to ignore that information,” says Bobbi. “But you’re _sure_ you didn’t go near any people?”

“Bobbi. I know what people smell like. If I smelled any scents, they were old and from people who took a walk in the woods during the day or something. No point in following a stale scent, every predator knows that.”

Bobbi flinches and Daisy regrets using the P word. “You understand how that sounds.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t have another way to say it. But I know what I saw and didn’t see last night.”

“Okay. I’m gonna go ask around, see if I can find any more information about what Phil was doing yesterday, where he was. You need water or anything before I leave?”

“Gosh, that’d be swell. Got a magazine too?” snarks Daisy.

“Watch it,” warns Bobbi as she leaves the room. “That mouth of yours isn’t going to help your case when it’s not just you and me.”

Daisy makes a face after her, then jerks her head around when she hears the station door open. “Hello?” calls a familiar voice, and before Daisy can stop herself, she yelps, “Jemma?”

“Daisy?” Since Bobbi’s not at the front desk, Jemma doesn't bother waiting, just goes back to stand in front of Daisy’s cell. “Oh my god, Daisy, I’m so sorry.”

Daisy shrugs; there’s not really much to say to that. “That’ll teach me to try to live my life,” she jokes weakly.

Jemma tuts. “Well, I believe you’re innocent. You could never hurt anyone!”

“That’s three of us who think so,” chimes in Bobbi, who’s returning with the requested bottle of water. She passes it through the bars and Daisy takes a grateful drink. “I was about to head out,” Bobbi continues to Jemma, “and technically I’m not supposed to let you be here when I’m not, but since you just got here and you’re…” She pauses. “I’ll look the other way if you want to stay for a bit, Jemma.”

“Goodness, will you? Thank you Bob-  I mean, Sheriff Morse!” Jemma’s cheeks go pink. “It’s just, I had an early shift at the library, I only just heard about poor Daisy…”

Bobbi chuckles. “No need for excuses, I understand. Take your time. Hunter might be in later to check in on things, maybe.” She rolls her eyes. “If we’re lucky.”

“Later.” Daisy gives her a mock salute.

Once they’re alone, she smiles halfheartedly at Jemma. “So, uh, we might have to postpone that date. Sorry.”

“You needn’t apologize!” Jemma looks horrified at the idea. “It’s hardly your fault that you’ve been set up as a, a _murderer_ of all things! I can’t believe it.”

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” says Daisy with a shrug. “But I _know_ I didn’t touch anyone. I would remember it. I remember the kills, Jemma. I’ve killed birds, rabbits, a fox once. Never a person.”

Jemma shudders. “Then…what could have happened? You and May are the only werewolves for miles, aren’t you?”

“I thought so. May thought so too. She said when her pack made her leave years ago, she split off by herself, until she found me and took me in. She wasn’t sure I was a werewolf until my first change, but then she wanted to make sure she took care of me while I adjusted. But she stopped changing pretty soon after I started – she didn’t even want to run with me much when I was starting the change.” Daisy snorts fondly. “Said I slowed her down. But yeah, if there was another werewolf around here, one of us would smell it. I know we would.”

Frowning, Jemma’s quiet a moment, thinking. “Is there a way to hide your wolf scent?”

“Hide it?” Daisy’s eyes widen. “No, it’s like in my sweat or something. I don’t even think that’s possible.”

“Not regularly. But what about with magic?” Jemma’s starting to talk fast, the way she does when she’s excited about something. “Just because most people don’t use magic for sinister purposes doesn’t mean some won’t take advantage of it! There must be a spell to change one’s body chemistry or mask it in some way.”

Daisy blinks, confused. “What would even be the point of that?”

“Well, if someone wanted to hide from other werewolves, for example,” Jemma points out. “Maybe this werewolf isn’t one of the ones who took the oath not to kill. Maybe he…she…they wanted to get rid of Phil for some reason. Or maybe it’s not about Phil at all – maybe they're after you for some reason. You specifically.”

“Me? What the fuck would someone have against me?”

“I don’t—”

Before Jemma can finish her thought, the station door opens. “Sheriff?” calls a familiar voice. It’s Ward, because Daisy’s day wasn’t already shitty enough.

“She’s out,” replies Jemma frostily. “Did you need something?”

“Just came to make sure the prisoner was well-contained.” Ward ambles over and frowns as he surveys Daisy inside the cell. She glares. “Are we sure this cage is safe?”

“I can’t change in the daylight, jackass. Only in the light of the full moon.” Well, and the couple nights after that, when the moonlight’s still strong enough, but she doesn’t want to give him that ammo.

Ward narrows his eyes. “Still. Who knows _what_ you’re capable of, monster.”

“Don’t talk to her like that!” Jemma snaps. “You don't know anything about her!”

“Do you?” Ward asks. “Have you ever seen her change? Have you seen her real self, the monster inside her?” He leans on the bars, inches from Daisy’s face. She resists the urge to bare her teeth and snarl at him. “Because I don’t think you’d be so keen on defending her if you had, Jemma. She’s not like us. She’s not even really a person.”

“She’s a better person than you are!” Jemma protests. “You have no right to talk about her like this! Get out!”

Shrugging, Ward doesn’t move. “I have as much right to be here as you. And in fact, I think I should be. If that monster got loose, who knows what it’d do to you.”

“Not half of what I want to do to you, asshole,” growls Daisy. “What’s it to you, anyway? You don’t give a shit about Phil, or anyone who can’t do something for you. Why come in here and fuck with me?”

“I just want justice for this town,” replies Ward. “And I want to make sure Jemma’s safe. I had a bad feeling when you and May showed up. Something about you just wasn’t right. A nice girl like Jemma should be kept safe from danger.”

Jemma snorts. “I’m right here, you arrogant bastard, and I can take care of myself!”

“Can you really? We’ll see.” Ward puts his hand on her shoulder, and she flinches. “Remember that I offered you protection, Jemma. That offer’s still open, for whenever you want to accept it.”

“I won’t,” says Jemma through gritted teeth.

\---

May comes to visit her after the lunch rush. “Would’ve come sooner if I could,” she says by way of apology. They both understand.

Daisy shrugs. “You believe me, don’t you?” It comes out sounding smaller and sadder than she meant it to.

May gives her a look and doesn’t answer.

Sighing, Daisy adds, “I’m sorry, it’s just…this sucks. I know I didn’t do it. _You_ know I didn’t do it. Hell, Bobbi as good as said she believes me. So why am I still stuck here?”

“Doesn’t make sense,” May agrees. “They say the trial’s tomorrow. You gonna be okay here overnight?”

“I mean, I hope Bobbi’s got a good strong leash,” jokes Daisy. “The last thing we need is me getting out and _actually_ killing somebody. Although maybe if it was Ward…”

“Don’t.” May’s voice is dead serious. “Don't even joke. We don't kill humans.”

“I know, I know. Gallows humor, c’mon.” Daisy rolls her eyes. “Don’t suppose you brought a change of clothes?”

“I can. Anything else?”

“My red blanket?” And now Daisy really _does_ feel like a frightened child, but that red blanket has been with her since…well. Forever. She’ll need it for tonight.

May nods. “I’ll get them. Are you hungry?”

“Kinda.” Actually she’s been hungry for a couple hours, but it’s not as if they have a fully stocked kitchen at the sheriff’s station, and she’s too proud to beg.

“I’ll check with Bobbi and bring you something.” May looks at her for a long moment. “You’ve got this.”

That’s May’s equivalent of _I love you_ and _be strong_ and _I believe in you_ and about ten other phrases that are way too sappy for May to ever say, and Daisy knows that. “Thanks,” she says, trying not to get choked up.

May nods. “I’ll be back.”

Sure enough, she reappears with Bobbi at her heels, holding a paper sack and a small suitcase. “Care to unlock that?” she asks Bobbi, her mouth quirking upward just slightly.

“Just for a second,” says Bobbi, not doing a very good job of stern.

When she opens the cell door, Daisy wants nothing more than to bolt out. Or maybe that’s what the wolf wants – sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. But she steels herself, and takes the bags from May and then obediently backs up so Bobbi can relock the cell. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” May gives her a look that might pass as affectionate.

“Is tonight going to be an issue?” Bobbi asks. “May?”

“Do you have chains?” May replies.

“Uh. Yeah, I guess we have a couple around somewhere…”

“You’ll need them. Strong ones. Wolves hate being confined. If she changes, she’ll try to break out. The blanket in her bag will help, but you’ll probably need to watch her to be sure.”

Daisy sighs. “I hate it when you talk about me like I’m not here.”

Rolling her eyes, May adds, “Won’t be a fun night for any of you, but it’s necessary.”

Bobbi nods. “Okay. I’ll get Hunter to take the watch for part of the night. Anything else?”

“I might howl,” says Daisy, winking.

“Not helpful,” grunts May. “Just…keep an eye on her,” she adds to Bobbi.

“Will do.”

It’s not even the chains that bother Daisy the most (although having them loose around her very human waist and neck is more than a little humiliating), it’s the way people are looking at her. Deputy Mackenzie, when he comes in, is quiet and mostly looks at the floor, not fully looking at her even as he helps Bobbi to secure the chains. Later, when Mayor Price visits, she’s snappish, asking pointed questions, but still doesn’t look Daisy in the eye. Even Bobbi avoids it, as if she feels guilty for all of this (but should she? she’s just doing her job, Daisy understands that).

Jemma comes to visit her an hour or so before twilight. “Aren’t you scared of me?” Daisy asks, and she’s only half-joking.

“Why would I be?” Jemma asks, looking affronted. “You’re still _you._ Chained up and in a cell, yes, but Daisy all the same.”

Daisy suddenly feels warmer than she has all day, and she smiles for real. “Jemma…”

“Well, anyhow!” Jemma chirps. “I’ve been reading at the library all afternoon, and I think I may have discovered a spell the other wolf used to camouflage themselves. It changes your scent completely! I brought the spellbook so you could see too…”

“Spellbook?” Daisy feels her hackles rise, and she doesn’t even _have_ those right now. “Why do you have _those_ in the library?”

“Do you know, I’m not really sure, I just found this. It might’ve been luck really, I had been searching for quite some time and then I was sifting through a pile of old texts and there it was, all leatherbound and dusty and in terrible condition, frankly, I don’t know who allows this—”

“Jemma. What were you saying about the spell?” Not that it isn’t cute when Jemma rambles, but they’re running out of time.

“Ah yes, of course. Well.” Jemma holds up the book and flips to a particular page. “You see, it involves the heart of a mouse and hair from a nineteen-year-old virgin and all sorts of other mildly unpleasant things, but the idea is that it will neutralize the unique scent markers of the person it’s cast on. I think maybe the person who did this, the other werewolf, they performed this spell on themselves. And,” she adds, meeting Daisy’s eyes for the first time, “I think I know how to break it.”

“Break it!” Daisy’s mouth falls open. “And then what are you gonna do, go throw a net on the wolf and hogtie it?”

Jemma frowns. “Well, I’ll get May to track it, and then we’ll find out who it really is, and we’ll…”

“Jemma, that’s dangerous! You’ve never even seen one of us when we change. And if this one’s really not taken the oath, then...you don’t know what it can do to you.” Daisy presses against the bars, wishing more than anything that she could touch Jemma.

“I do know,” says Jemma, looking Daisy in the eyes. “And I don’t care. I can’t let you be accused of a crime you didn’t commit. And now that I know that I can help, I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t try.”

“No! Jemma, please, I’ll be okay. Don’t put yourself in so much danger for me.” Daisy’s heart is beating so fast and loud she feels like Jemma must be able to hear it too. “No matter what happens, I just want you to be safe.”

“And I want the same for you,” says Jemma sadly. “Daisy, I...I can’t bear the thought of you being locked up forever, or...or worse. You’re a good person and you matter so much to me and I l- I can’t imagine my life without you.” She glances at the floor and wipes her eyes. “I have to do whatever I can to clear your name.”

“Okay,” whispers Daisy. “But whatever you do, _don’t_ confront the wolf yourself. Okay, Jemma? You won’t be able to fight it off or anything. The only thing that can kill wolves is silver, especially silver bullets, and you definitely don’t have any of those. Just lay low and let May track it. ”

Jemma nods, still looking unhappy. “I’ll just feel useless.”

“No! You’re not useless, you’re the one who figured out how to catch the bastard.” Daisy reaches through the bars to put her hand on Jemma’s arm, even though she knows she’s _really_ not supposed to. “You’re amazing.”

Sighing, Jemma takes Daisy’s hand for a moment. “I wish - I wish things were different. I just wanted to go on a date with you.”

“Hey, we still can.” Daisy grins playfully. “It’ll get sorted out, you’ll see. Then we’ll have a super romantic dinner at Tony’s, promise.”

Jemma smiles weakly and squeezes Daisy’s hand before she lets it go. “I’ll hold you to that,” she says.

“What _else_ will you hold me to?” The instant Daisy says it, she feels ridiculous. “I’m sorry, that was terrible.”

But it’s made Jemma smile again, a real smile, so she can’t really regret it too much. “You’ll have to wait and see,” Jemma says with a wink. “Now, I’ve got to go look for the ingredients for the counter-spell - Fitz thinks he can track down some of it, but it’ll be a hassle.”

“You’ll find it,” says Daisy, and she means it.

“I will,” says Jemma resolutely. “Goodbye, Daisy. Everything will be all right.”

Daisy nods and calls “bye” as Jemma leaves, but she can’t stop the anxious feeling in her belly.

\---

When the moon starts to rise, Daisy crawls under her red blanket.

It’s the only thing she has from her life before. Before May, before this town, it’s all a haze - she can’t even remember her mother’s face, her father’s voice. May tells her her mother was Chinese, like May is, and that’s why she gave Daisy this red blanket: red for luck and joy. Daisy hasn’t had a lot of either of those things in her life, but she believes May, and the blanket keeps the wolf away, so it’s useful too. Sometimes Daisy wonders, if her mother cared enough to give her this blanket, why didn’t she care enough to stay? But that’s a bad thought, it won’t help her sleep, so she pushes it away and tries to get as comfortable as she can.

Until several hours later when the station door bursts open and Jemma yells “Daisy, Daisy, wake up, Daisy!”

“Zzh?” Daisy rolls off the hard jail bed (careful to keep herself wrapped in the blanket) and staggers over to the cell door. “Jemma? ‘s going on?”

“Long story,” someone who is not Jemma says. It’s Bobbi, and she’s holding the keyring. “Gist is, we need you to let the wolf out, Daisy. The whole town is in danger.”

“It’s Ward!” Jemma yelps. “Ward, _he’s_ the other wolf! May smelled him the instant the spell lifted and we got there just in time to drive him off before he could attack Fitz-”

“Wait, _you_ were there! You told me you’d stay far away, Jemma!” Daisy’s much more alert now, adrenaline singing through her. Her skin itches, like something’s tickling from inside her. She clutches the blanket around herself tighter. “The hell would Ward want with Fitz?”

“We don’t know,” says Bobbi as she unlocks the cell door. “Daisy, there’s no time for talk. We need you to come out of there and go after him. You’re the only one who can stop him now.”

Daisy shakes her head, trying to make sense of all this. “May…”

“She’s fine, she told me about the silver bullets. I have some, Daisy, but we need you to help us corner him so I can get a shot in.” Bobbi reaches to unlock one of the chains looped around her. “C’mon, we don’t have much time.”

“I can’t transform around you two, it’s too dangerous!” Daisy protests. “We have to go to the woods, it’s safe there, I can...”

“No time,” snaps Bobbi. “We’ll hide in here, you go out and transform in the street. Then we’ll follow you. We need you to find him, Daisy, before he kills again.”

Daisy hesitates a moment before nodding and slipping first the chains off herself, then her clothes (as best she can while still keeping the blanket close). She walks past Bobbi and Jemma, naked save for the blanket, and then out the door, and lets it drop.

The actual transformation is never fun. It’s painful, in fact, so painful that before she can stop herself she screams and it turns into a howl partway through. But then it’s done and she’s a wolf and running entirely on instinct - _hunt hunt eat track kill -_ and at the first whiff of the other wolf’s scent, she bolts after him. She needs to drive the intruder away from her territory, her family. Her mate.

He’s halfway across town when she finds him. He’s cornered a man and seems to be toying with him, and she can smell the open gash on the man’s leg - _blood prey hunt kill eat_ \- before she leaps to dig her teeth into the other wolf’s neck.

He yelps and twists to get away from her, and she snarls in return and gives him a harsh bite on his upper leg. She’s never fought another wolf before, but she’s fast and strong and has the element of surprise on her side. She fastens onto his flank, biting hard enough that he shrieks.

They roll together for a while before he gets in a lucky bite on her shoulder that makes her yelp and jump away. They face each other for an instant, both snarling, before he leaps again and she darts out of his way nimbly.

He’s bigger than she is, so when he lunges again, trying to pin her down on her back, she’s just barely able to get out of the way. As it is, he still takes what feels like a chunk out of her back leg and she kicks at him reflexively. They can smell each other’s blood.

As she tries to wrestle him to the ground, new scents float by: human scents. It’s harder to tell them apart as a wolf than a human, but she knows Jemma’s scent. _Her_ Jemma. She snarls and sinks her teeth into his front leg, feeling bone snap, and he howls. It gives her an opening to go for his throat, but she can’t get a good enough grip to do more damage than a few shallow bites.

“Daisy!” someone calls. Her wolf ears hear it, but barely process it as more than loud human noises. “Daisy, move!”

She ignores the noise and shoves her whole weight onto the other wolf before finally getting a good grip on his neck and biting hard. Tasting blood, she worries him a little, instinctively trying to snap his neck as if he’s prey. He makes a weak choking noise and struggles but gets nowhere.

“Daisy!” calls another human, and it’s Jemma. She knows Jemma’s voice, and it makes her hesitate, which is just enough time for the other wolf to heave her off of him, blood spraying as he staggers to his feet.

She can win this fight. He’s weak, he can barely stand, and he’s gushing blood from his neck. But before she knocks him down again, Jemma yells, “Daisy, no!”

That’s just enough for her to turn and look at Jemma, which is when the other wolf leaps and then there’s a loud noise, so loud she drops to the ground immediately, and then the other wolf is on top of her, but he’s not trying to fight her, he’s barely moving, and the scent of blood is everywhere…

She rolls away and onto her feet again, snarling, and there’s humans yelling and shrieking and it’s all starting to hurt her ears, and she turns to run away when she hears Jemma say, “Daisy.”

She stops snarling, but stays hunched over, in defensive mode. She can see Jemma talking to the group of humans standing there, just far enough away that she could run away if they tried to attack. Too far to attack first. Though when she sees the shiny object one of the females is pointing at her, she bares her teeth and moves forward.

“Daisy, don’t!” Jemma’s voice. She smells fear. From the whole group, but sharpest from Jemma. “Don’t hurt her. Come here.”

Though she doesn’t understand the words, she likes Jemma’s voice, and she relaxes a little and pricks her ears.

“You’re not going to hurt us,” Jemma says, “are you? You wouldn’t hurt me. C’mon.”

She takes a few steps forward, interested.

“Mayor Price will put her gun down now, since it wouldn’t do any good anyway, and you’re going to keep coming over here so we can change you back into a person, okay?” Jemma moves her hand towards the female holding the shiny thing, who puts it away.

She keeps coming, eventually only a few feet from Jemma. She whimpers.

“Thank you,” Jemma whispers, and then everything turns red.

\---

The next thing Daisy knows, she’s blinking awake under her red blanket, completely naked and shivering. Jemma’s kneeling next to her. “Hello,” she says gently. “How are you doing?”

“I…” She becomes dimly aware of some very sharp pains, most notably on her shoulder and leg. “Ow, _fuck._ ”

“Oh no,” murmurs Jemma. “Where does it hurt?”

“Right shoulder and left leg,” grunts Daisy. “I’ll be okay. Ward?”

Jemma shudders. “He’s gone. Bobbi shot him right in the heart. She said before he died he was gasping something about how he was supposed to be the hero, I don’t know what that means…”

“I think I can figure it out.” Daisy eases herself into a sitting position. “You were saying whoever the other wolf is, they wanted to frame me?”

“Yes, but I don’t…”

“Ward wanted me out of the way so he could have you,” Daisy explains. “And maybe for another reason, I don’t know. I don’t care. I just wanna go home and sleep in my own bed.”

“Yes, we can arrange that,” says Bobbi, who’s just walking up. “But only after you go to a hospital.” Daisy makes a face, and Bobbi continues. “Seems like Ward had it out for me too. Earlier I caught some stupid kid sniffing around the station, trying to pick the lock. I think Ward’s plan was to have him let you out so you’d transform while he murdered - whoever was convenient, honestly, so I’d look like an incompetent jackass who let a bloodthirsty wolf escape. Ward wanted my job. That’s what I got out of the kid before I had Mack cuff him for trespassing, anyway. But considering Ward bled out about five minutes ago, I’d say justice has been served.”

“Holy shit,” whispers Daisy. “Jemma, are you…?”

“Oh, I’m perfectly fine!” says Jemma, reaching out to touch Daisy’s arm. “I wasn’t worried. Well, perhaps I was, but only for you. I knew you wouldn’t hurt me, even as a wolf.”

There’s a loud cough from somewhere above Daisy, and she cranes her neck to see Mayor Price standing over her. “Ms. Johnson,” says the mayor, trying for dignified, but mostly looking shaken and embarrassed.

“Price?” Daisy figures if ever she can get away with that, it’s now.

“I...owe you an apology,” says the mayor, and it looks as if she’s having to force the words out. “And considering this dramatic revelation, I withdraw the charges completely.”

Daisy snorts. “That’s awfully big of you.”

Mayor Price snorts and strides away, her heels clacking loudly on the pavement.

“Uh, about that hospital?” Daisy asks, because it’s really kind of cold out here and she’s still naked and exhausted beyond belief and the part of her that’s still wolfish wants to lay down right here and sleep.

Jemma nods frantically. “Of course, of course! Let me, I’ll, do you want me to tell May where you are?”

Daisy nods, too tired for words, and lets Jemma and Bobbi guide her to her feet. Someone’s brought a car; she hadn’t noticed, and she’s asleep by the time they’re pulling into the hospital parking lot.

\---

When she wakes the next morning, it’s to the sound of mechanical beeping and the smell of antiseptic and Jemma.

Not that Jemma’s doing anything but dozing in the chair next to her hospital bed, but there she is all the same. Daisy blinks sleepily and says, “Hey.”

Instantly Jemma jerks awake. “Daisy! How are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Daisy shrugs and then wishes she hadn’t. “Mostly fine.”

Cooing sympathetically, Jemma reaches for her hand. “Well, Dr. Garner said you’ll be fine, you just need to change the bandages and watch the stitches to make sure they don’t pop.”

“Sounds fun.” Daisy grins lazily. “So I guess we’ll have to put off that date, huh?”

Jemma flushes. “I mean, not if you don’t want, I wouldn’t want to do anything to make you uncomfortable, I…”

Before she can finish the verbal tidal wave, May enters the room. “You’re awake,” she says.

“Yeah. You hear what happened?”

“Morse told me.” May crosses her arms. “You see why the oath is important?”

Daisy rolls her eyes. “Not like I was ever gonna break it, but yeah.”

“Good. You’ll be fine.” May runs a hand over Daisy’s leg, which is like a full-body hug from anyone else. “Need anything? Closed the diner today.”

“What?” That shocks Daisy almost more than everything else that’s happened the last couple days. “Why?”

“Didn’t wanna do everything myself,” says May, but what she means is she missed her.

“Okay, fair enough. Can I get some food? I’m starving.”

“That’s the wolf,” says May. “You didn’t eat last night. That affects you. I’ll get something.”

“Huh.” Daisy turns to Jemma as May leaves again. “This doesn’t freak you out or anything?”

Jemma shakes her head. “No! Well, perhaps a little, in that I almost lost my - my - you, I almost lost you, _and_ was part of the motivation for a selfish narcissist’s murderous rampage. But the wolf, no, that doesn’t bother me at all.”

“You’re something else,” says Daisy fondly. “Once I’m out of here, I’d love to try again with that date.”

“You would?” Jemma beams.

“Course.” Then Daisy grins. “Don’t suppose I could have a kiss for saving your life?”

“You could’ve had one even without that,” teases Jemma, leaning in to kiss her on the lips.


End file.
